the one where I talk about the corona virus
UNITED STATE CORONA STATISTICS
CONFIRMED 5.1 M
DEATHS 163K
WORLDWIDE
CONFIRMED 20.1 M
DEATHS 737K
August 10, 2020
The New York Times
You run into someone you know at the grocery store, or on a walk in your neighborhood, or pumping gas, WHATEVER; and the number one subject is COVID. You discuss what you’ve heard, inquire about each other’s families, as if you know of anyone that has been diagnosed. COVID-19 seems to be the most popular thing to discuss these days, in social circles, zoom chat rooms, family dinners around the table, on phone calls, etc. This blog post will be my attempt to share my thoughts on the subject
First of all, I believe the virus is real. I BELIEVE THE VIRUS IS REAL and people die. I truly do. We have two family members that are “at risk” due to health concerns and since the beginning, we have not hugged these people. They stay home and inside and are social distancing to the EXTREME. One had a birthday recently and no one was able to give them a hug or even cook them a meal or a birthday cake. We take it very seriously.
Second, I believe everything about this virus has been used for political gain. It’s an election year and every 4 years our country goes a bit psycho in how divided and ugly things get. Instead of discussing like adults and really trying to understand someone’s concerns and feelings, people get angry and hurt and downright mean when we don’t see eye to eye. Both parties are using this virus as a way to divide and conquer and all of us have to deal with the mess and fear they create.
Have you all known someone personally with COVID? We have. Our niece tested positive and quarantined alone in her apartment and completely lost her sense of smell. She felt pretty awful and had to provide a negative test result before returning to work at Baylor. Before she new she was positive, she exposed her family. They had to be tested and their results came back negative. One of my godchildren also tested positive. She complained of a headache that wouldn’t go away. She had recently attended a basketball day camp and her mom thinks maybe that’s how she was exposed. Sweat and close proximity in an indoor location? No one ever truly knows. We also have a co-worker who’s husband tested positive and she tested negative. She still quarantined for the 14 days and since some test results aren’t back for days, missed 21 days of work.
On Sunday, my oldest daughter, Kalyn Marie, called us and she was upset by some news she had received. She lives in Alabama and works for a private university there. All employees had to take mandatory COVID tests to be on campus. Hers came back positive. Yep. Positive for COVID. She’s only lived there a year and is alone and has tested positive for COVID. We are 14 hours away by car. Daddy calmed her down and we both gave her the information that we know based on hours of research by podcast, reading blogs, talking to doctors, etc. (I kind of go down rabbit holes now and then) and told her to follow protocol. Call your boss, let them know and take it a day at a time. She wasn’t having any symptoms, but you start to think maybe you do because of the positive results. She thought maybe she was extra tired. She was telling herself, I do feel a bit stuffy. Am I running a fever? Not a fun time for sure.
She calls her boss and her boss sent her to be tested again. Kalyn has been working from her apartment where she lives by herself, going in to the office and athletic department part time. She hasn’t been in public much and the people she’s been around? The same ones she’s been around for the last month. This raised questions about how was she exposed? If everyone else tested negative, how did she test positive? The second test was one that would determine if she has an active infection. A nose probe (up both nostrils) and a blood test for the antibody. ALL CAME BACK NEGATIVE. Whew! She’s relieved and I’m relieved. I asked her if I could share her story and she said yes.
So, here I am sharing her story and basically after months of hearing horror stories, reading horror stories, working during these pandemic times…(we also own a liquor store and I’ve worked there as well as photographing weddings), I’ve come to the conclusion that you can not trusts the tests and you must trust your own knowledge of your body and how you feel. That’s it.
Testing is BS. And I think we both know what that means.
Now, I understand that many who might read this have family members, loved ones, colleagues, friends, that have suffered with the virus, perhaps even died. I started this conversation with “ I believe this virus is real”. I truly do. And it’s scary. It can be intensely scary, especially with what the media has shared with us about people suffering and dying.
But I’m tired of being scared. Aren’t you? Let’s use our brains and learn what we can from each other and quit being afraid. We have lives to live. People to love and try to hug again.
What about you? Care to share your viewpoint on Rona and the testing?
